‘I am alive’ — Kutlwano Ditsele details his 15-hour hijacking and kidnapping ordeal

Director and producer Kutlwano Ditsele has shared details of his harrowing 15-hour hijacking and kidnapping ordeal earlier this month.

The director, founding partner of Seriti Films, popular for its Gomora telenovela, shared a snap and explained it had been seven days to the hour since he was hijacked and kidnapped outside his home and taken to an unknown location.

"[This picture was] taken exactly seven days to the hour after I was released from a harrowing 15-hour hijacking and kidnapping outside my house and taken to an unknown location. I was unharmed and had my gadgets and money from my bank account emptied. The only thing they took from me that is irreplaceable is my sense of safety.”

Kutlwano explained his internal conflict as a person who loves his country.

“South Africa is the most beautiful country but sometimes it can bite you like it did me for the first time in my 37 years.”

He said co-operating with the criminals is the reasons he is alive.

“The advice I have to anyone who this might happen to is to co-operate, I know it sounds crazy but your life is more important than what they steal. I closed my eyes to not see their faces. I gave them everything they wanted and they let me go 15 hours later.

“One of the guys said to me: 'I don’t want to do this but there is no work out there for us.'”

The Gomora creator said he was grateful he lived to tell the story.

Read the full post below:

Kutlwano is not the only media personality who has experience the criminal side of Mzansi.

In November 2022 Thami Ngubeni  took to Twitter to say she was grateful for a second chance at life after she was hijacked and kidnapped.

The Metro FM radio presenter took to her timeline recalling the horrific experience.

“I was hijacked and kidnapped. They took everything material but they did not take my life. I give God the glory. Faithful God. The God who fights my battles. My God who saved me from the jaws of the lion. Hallelujah.” she wrote.

When a tweep questioned how she could express gratitude after such an incident, Thami said she was happy to come out of it alive.

“I’m thanking God that He saved my life. That even though the enemy tried to harm me, God protected me. A weapon was formed against me but it didn’t prosper. I walked through the fire but was not burnt. Praise be to Jehovah. Hallelujah”

Gospel star Ayanda Shange recently shared how his wife was almost kidnapped.